Like in most companies our size, we at Procos have a melting pot of cultures, history, and traditions. We love this diversity, and it has inspired us to take you on a little journey to a new place every year.

This year, we go to Greece!

“On December 24th and 31st and on January 6th, children will knock on doors of homes and recite the cantatas called “Kalanda”. This brings the residents luck for the whole year” shares Leander Kritikos, who has provided the inspiration for this year’s theme.Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately….), we can’t sing these “Kalanda” personally for you, but in our thoughts we do!

We also want to share some familial holiday secrets with you. There are two traditional types of cookies for holiday season in Greece: Kourabiedes and Melomakarono. Leander found recipes for these cookies from his great-grandmother and we are thrilled to share them with you:

INGREDENTS

for cookies:
640 gr oil
1300 gr all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup alisiva (ash water Lye)
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups sugar
¼  cup cognac or brandy
1 tsp lemon juice
Juice from 1 orange

for syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
1 cup water (maybe half a cup more)
½ cup cognac

for garnish:
1 cup sugar
2-3 tsp cinnamon
chopped walnuts (200-300gr)

INSTRUCTIONS

Alisiva*
You must prepare the alisiva the day before. The ash must be from burnt wood, fireplace, or wood-burning stove. Add 3-4 tsp of ash to 200 gr water. Boil the water thoroughly, then remove from heat and let it sit out overnight. The ash should settle at the bottom and the water at the top will be clear. Strain the ash water twice.
Measure out enough water for 1 ½ cups and set aside.

For cookies
Preheat the oven to 175°C. In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice with baking soda. Add the oil, alisiva, cognac, sugar, and orange juice. Mix thoroughly with a mixer for about 20 minutes.

Gradually add the flour and mix by hand very gently for about 30 minutes or a little more if desired. Take small pieces of the dough of about 25-30 gr each and shape them into an oval cookie. Place them on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Use a fork to make a few decorative marks on the top of each cookie. Bake them in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.

For syrup
In a saucepan add the intended measurements of sugar, honey, water, and cognac. Boil until the sugar melts.
If foam has formed, remove it with a small spoon. Remove the saucepan from heat.
Soak the Melomakarona cookies in the syrup for about 2-3 minutes. Allow them to absorb the syrup and then place them on a tray or plate to set.

For garnish
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and then sprinkle the Melomakarona with the mixture.

ENJOY!

INGREDENTS

100g powdered sugar
500g unsalted butter
1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla
½ tsp nutmeg
60g of brandy
1 tsp baking soda
150g coarsely chopped almonds
850g all-purpose flour

For dusting:

1kg powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Recipe preparation
This recipe yields approximately 70 Kourabiedes cookies.
All the ingredients must be at room temperature (21-23°C) before you start.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Before starting the dough, spread the almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake them for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Let them cool completely, then coarsely chop them and set aside. Sift the flour and set it aside.

For the dough
In a mixing bowl, add the soft butter and powdered sugar.
With an electric whisk or mixer, beat for 1 minute at low speed until combined.
Gradually increase the speed to high and beat the butter and sugar for 8-10 minutes until they resemble a white cream. This step is very important because the more air the butter traps, the fluffier the end result. 

Keep in mind to stop the mixer and scrape any stuck mixture from the sides of the bowl with a soft spatula when needed.

Next add the yolks to the mix one by one, letting each yolk be absorbed by the mixture. Add the 1 whole egg and continue to beat the mix for 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the nutmeg, vanilla, and only 2 heaping tablespoons of flour. Dissolve the baking soda in the brandy and add together to the dough mix.
Continue mixing on low speed, alternately adding the coarsely chopped almonds and the rest of the flour. Add the flour as needed – the dough should be soft and buttery.
Preheat oven to 170°C (fan).
Take small pieces of the dough, about 30 grams each, and shape them into your desired form. Kourabiedes are traditionally shaped as crescents.

For baking
Place the shaped dough pieces apart on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper.
Bake them in a well-preheated oven at 170°C (fan) on the middle rack for about 35 minutes, until they crack on top and turn a golden brown.
For the best results, bake one tray at a time. If you need to bake multiple trays, swap their positions halfway through baking for an even bake.
Once removed, let the cookies cool for 5 minutes so that the next coatings of powdered sugar do not draw moisture.

For dusting
In a bowl, sift the powdered sugar together with the vanilla.
While the Kourabiedes are still slightly warm but not hot, roll them in the powdered sugar mixture until they are well coated. Place them on a platter or tray in rows.
Let them cool thoroughly! If you move them while they are still warm, they will break.
After allowing them to cool completely, roll the Kourabiedes in powdered sugar once more to ensure they have a generous coating.
Put the Kourabiedes in rows on a platter and sprinkle one final time with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!